Reporting of Quantitative Protein Electrophoresis in Australia and New Zealand: a Call for Standardisation

Background

The lack of guidelines on reporting standards for protein electrophoresis may have led to significant differences in reports from different laboratories.

Objective

To determine the extent of variation in reporting of protein electrophoresis results in Australia and New Zealand.

Method

Questionnaires were distributed to laboratories throughout Australia and New Zealand asking about protein electrophoresis practices and reporting.

Results

Extensive variation was found in the following reporting practices: (a) units for urine Bence Jones protein (BJP); (b) reporting absence of a paraprotein rather than a normal pattern; (c) numerical reporting of all protein fractions or only the paraprotein; (d) warning of possible inaccuracy in the serum immunoglobulin result of the paraprotein type; (e) co-migration of a paraprotein with a normal serum protein; (f) use of a confirmatory test when a known paraprotein is no longer detectable.

Conclusions

A working party should be established to make recommendations on the reporting of protein electrophoresis. Implementation of such recommendations should reduce both report variation between laboratories and the risk of misinterpretation of reports.     

Cell cycle related proteins in hyperplasia of usual type in breast specimens of patients with and without breast cancer

Background  

Hyperplasia of usual type (HUT) is a common proliferative lesion associated with a slight elevated risk for subsequent development of breast cancer. Cell cycle-related proteins would be helpful to determine the putative role of these markers in the process of mammary carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of cell cycle related proteins in HUT of breast specimens of patients with and without breast cancer, and compare this expression with areas of invasive carcinomas.     

Microtubules and cyclic amp in human leukocytes: on the order of things

We have shown previously that the β-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (2μM) and the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutylmethylxanthine (1 mM) produce a much greater increase in cyclic AMP in human leukocytes that have been pretreated with colchicine (or with other agents that affect microtubule assembly) than in control leukocytes. The effects of colchicines were both time- and dose-dependant. These and other data suggested that the generation of cyclic AMP is normally restricted by an intact system of cytoplasmic microtubules. If so, then the same time and dose dependencies might apply to other colchicines-induced changes in leukocyte function. We have now assayed the distribution of concanavalin A (Con A)-receptor complexes on the leukocyte membrane, taking into account that leukocytes competent to assemble microtubules show a uniform distribution of surface- bound Con A whereas microtubule-deficient cells accumulate Con A in surface caps. We have found that the effect of colchicine on capping is also both time- and dose dependent, and that the dose-response relationships conform to those required to increase cyclic AMP levels. These findings provide further evidence that both colchicine-induced Con-A capping and colchicine- induced cyclic AMP generation depend upon the relaxation of constraints normally imposed by cytoplasmic microtubules upon the plasma membrane, which limit, respectively, lateral mobility of the lectin-receptor complexes, and expression of hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase. Moreover, colchicine-induced Con-A cap formation is not affected even by very large changes in leukocyte cyclic AMP levels. Thus, elevated cyclic AMP levels do not appear to promote the dissolution of microtubules; rather, the dissolution of microtubules permits the generation of increased amounts of cyclic AMP.     

豆科黄华属植物种子表面特征的研究

在扫描电镜下观察了豆科黄华属Thermopsis 18种植物种子的表面纹饰,发现 T．alpina,T.bar- bata,T．inflata,T．lupinoides,T. licentiana,T.smithiana和T．turkestanica的种子表面为粗网状,T californica,T.divaricarpa,T. macrophylla,T．mollis的种子表面为细网状,T.gracilis,T.montana,T. fabacea的种子表面为相对平滑型纹饰,T．alterniflora的种子表面为不规则条形,T．chinensis的种子表 面为粘膜状,T.rhombifolia的种子表面为条形及 T．viuosa的种子表面为碎屑状纹饰。结果表明黄华属的种子表面特征对属下类群的划分有一定意义,对澄清某些混乱的种有一定价值。     

榆科榉属模式的考证

长期以来,Zelkova crenata Spach被认为是榉属(Zelkova)的模式。作者基于国际植物命名法规中的模式指定原则,并通过有关文献的考证,确认Zelkova carpinifolia(Pall.) K. Koch为榉属的合法模式,而并非Z. crenata Spach或Z. carpinifolia(Pall.) Dipp.。     

Could pseudogenes be widespread in ants? Evidence of numts in the leafcutter ant Acromyrmex striatus (Roger, 1863) (Formicidae: Attini)

The incorporation of fragments of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the nuclear genome, known as numts (nuclear mitochondrial pseudogenes), undermines general assumptions concerning the use of mtDNA in phylogenetic and phylogeographic studies. Accidental amplifications of these nuclear copies instead of the mitochondrial target can lead to crucial misinterpretations, thus the correct identification of numts and their differentiation from true mitochondrial sequences are important in preventing this kind of error. Our goal was to describe the existence of cytochrome b (cytb) numts in the leafcutter ant Acromyrmex striatus (Roger, 1863). PCR products were directly sequenced using a pair of universal primers designed to amplify the cytb gene of these insects. Other species of leafcutter ants were also sequenced. The sequences were analyzed and the numts were identified by the presence of double peaks, indels and premature stop codons. Only A. striatus clearly showed the presence of numts, while the other species displayed the expected amplification of the mtDNA cytb gene target using the same primer pair. We hope that our report will highlight the benefits and challenges of using mtDNA in the molecular phylogenetic reconstruction and phylogeographic studies of ants, while establishing the importance of numts reports for future studies.     

长爪沙鼠ATPase8,ATPase6,COX3基因的克隆及序列分析

目的对长爪沙鼠线粒体ATPase8,ATPase6,COX3基因全序列进行测定,并对其进行鉴定及进化分析。方法根据长爪沙鼠已知基因序列设计引物,采用PCR产物测序法,对目的片段进行测序鉴定。结合已公布啮齿类动物ATPase8,ATPase6,COX3基因序列,分析其碱基组成、遗传距离、并基于最小进化法和UPGMA法构建系统进化树。结果获得长爪沙鼠线粒体ATPase8,ATPase6,COX3基因全序列,其与家鼠、小家鼠和仓鼠均具有较高的同源性（76～98%）;进化分析结果显示,长爪沙鼠与家鼠、黑家鼠和仓鼠遗传距离较近;碱基G的含量分别为6.9%,10.7%,15.2%,符合mtDNA的特点;A＋T含量分别为68.2%,64.1%,59.2%,明显低于G＋C含量,符合哺乳动物的特点。结论本研究为首次获得长爪沙鼠ATPase8,ATPase6,COX3基因全序列,长爪沙鼠与家鼠、黑家鼠和仓鼠具有较近遗传距离,本研究为长爪沙鼠进化研究、线粒体的结构和功能研究奠定基础。     

不同施肥处理对‘赤霞珠’葡萄根际土壤养分和真菌群落的影响

【背景】宁夏贺兰山东麓葡萄产区忽视有机肥的施用,果树枝条焚烧污染环境,造成土壤养分缺失,土壤质量下降。【目的】为解决长期施用化肥对土壤造成的一系列问题,通过大田试验研究施肥及喷施不同浓度菌剂对土壤理化性质、真菌群落组成及多样性的影响,为酿酒葡萄可持续健康发展提供科学依据。【方法】以‘赤霞珠’葡萄根际土壤为试验对象,采用Illumina MiSeq高通量测序技术,测定并分析根际土壤理化性质、真菌群落组成和多样性在7个处理[常规施肥(CK)、蚯蚓粪+腐熟枝条+100倍菌剂(T1)、蚯蚓粪+腐熟枝条+200倍菌剂(T2)、蚯蚓粪+腐熟枝条+300倍菌剂(T3)、蚯蚓粪+未腐熟枝条+100倍菌剂(A1)、蚯蚓粪+未腐熟枝条+200倍菌剂(A2)和蚯蚓粪+未腐熟枝条+300倍菌剂(A3)]的变化。【结果】相较于CK,葡萄根际土壤理化性质差异明显,施肥处理增加了土壤有机质含量,土壤pH含量无明显变化,改良了土壤结构,活化了土壤有效养分。相较于CK,各处理真菌分类操作单元(operational taxonomic unit, OTU)数均降低,A2处理根际土壤丰富度及多样性均显著增加。真菌群落组成...